


Teaching

by chucklingChemist



Series: Alternian Snapshots [5]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Slice of Life, The shaky roots of a deadly troll, Vaguely Hinted Traumatic Backstory, bows shouldn't be the preferred canonical weapon of trolls with high strength and low dex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 15:36:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18236855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chucklingChemist/pseuds/chucklingChemist
Summary: After a brutal attack that nearly leaves her dead, Valeba's not keen on the idea of having a cobaltblood show her anything. Least of all a weapon designed for the same upper crusts of society she despises.Aracae, however, is far better known for delivering what's needed than what's wanted.





	Teaching

Valeba shivered against the dusk air. Her flimsy T-shirt did absolutely nothing to break the growing chill surrounding her. Nor did the bandages covering her whole bottom arm, down to the wrist. And she didn’t have a jacket to throw on. That had been stolen away from her during the attack. A shame really, because a couple broad, nearly mature clowns had no use for such a small jacket from a barely-five-sweep-old brownblood. It’s not even as if it was expensive, she just really liked the thing. It was useful for nights like this: when budding trees swayed in the breeze and the scent of rain still permeated the area.

The troll in front of her, Aracae Cervus, though, seemed fine. Then again, of course she was. Aracae was a blueblood, colder and sturdier than Valeba could ever hope to be. She could see it in the firm, lean muscle that peeked out underneath a blue, shimmering dress and the taut, pointed steps she took as she paced the forest floor. Even the bow in her hand was indicative of her status: not only the mere usage of a royal’s favored weapon, but the obvious care in the craft was evident on each curve. Valeba fully expected it to have the other’s symbol carved somewhere on it.

She stopped, not facing the brownblood. Valeba jumped back instinctively in surprise, watching as Aracae deftly notched the bow and shot an arrow off into the night. Then another shot with a quick flourish of her wrist and sharp turn on a heel. Then a third, right above Valeba’s horns and stuck fast in the tree behind her. Valeba ducked away from that one, even though distantly she assumed Aracae wasn’t here to cull her. If Coraxe wanted to do that, for whatever reason, he would’ve done so when she was unconscious in his hive, not partly healed and awake.

She nodded. “Reactive. Good. Not necessary, but good.” She set the bow against a nearby old chestnut tree. “Are you ready to start?”

Valeba crossed her arms tightly around her chest. “No. I have questions.”

Aracae nodded. She leaned against the tree, propping her foot up against it. “Okay. Fire away.”

“Why are you helping me? Why isn’t Coraxe?” It made more sense for Coraxe to help her. He had been the one to pull her out of the tree, the one to bring her to consciousness and bandage her wounds. It seemed strange for him to decide to hire on some highblood, however competent she clearly was.

Aracae shrugged. “I owed him a favor and he’s frankly, useless at what’s needed now.” With a small, almost knowing smile, she added, “Your story piqued my interest, too. You feeling okay?”

Valeba scowled and looked down at her bandaged wrists, gingerly touching them. The rope burns didn’t sting anymore, not really. Her wrists had a dull throb, even now, but the stinging or burning from before was gone…until she remembered what happened. Then the feeling returned once more and her whole arm felt on fire. Like now. “Yeah, ‘m feeling fine.”

“Hm.” Aracae nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind. Anything else?”

“Yeah. You’re training me, right?” She frowned. “With what?”

The knowing smile from earlier returned. “Take a guess.” Aracae kicked herself off the tree and began to pace. “It’s obvious, don’t worry.”

Valeba narrowed her eyes, sight set on the bow. It was the only weapon brought along…unless there was some hidden sheathe for a sword under that dress. “But that doesn’t make sense,” she said.

“And why not?” Aracae paced in wide circles around Valeba. Valeba shifted into a more defensive stance, watching the blueblood in her peripherals. “Because you were told by the Empire?”

“No, but…” she sighed. Waves of reading stories and sneaking into tournaments came back to her. Every troll, even those her age, that used a bow had been bigger and taller than her by a significant portion. Not to mention all the talk of archery being a noble highblooded-exclusive sport certainly affected her opinion. “I don’t have the strength for it. I’m a –”

“A troll who survived a brutal attack from glorified animals that have culled plenty,” Aracae finished. “A troll who needs a better way to defend herself than rope and a knife.”

Valeba glared at her, though she stayed silent. What could be said? Valeba did need a more effective way to fight than a dinky (and now non-existent, alongside her jacket) knife. But a bow? Out of the question.

Being reminded by an adult troll of her failure didn’t help matters.

Aracae stopped pacing. She must have felt Valeba’s gaze. “I’m not insulting you,” Aracae said softly. “Not any troll could have survived that.”

“I got lucky,” Valeba said stiffly. “That’s all.”

“And you don’t want to get lucky again?” she asked curiously.

“I’d prefer to get lucky with a weapon that won’t make me a target,” Valeba said.

Aracae made a few clicks with her tongue. “Alright. Humor me. Pick up my bow.”

Valeba raised her eyebrows. “This is a trick,” she reasoned.

“No trick. In fact…” Aracae’s smooth voice trailed off as she seemed to glide over to the weapon and hand it to Valeba. Valeba glanced between the weapon and Aracae doubtfully before eventually, _finally_ taking the weapon. It was long, sure, but thin enough that it fit in her hands easily. Nor was it heavy. In fact, as she lifted it up and lowered it, she quickly realized the bow was actually light. If this were for an adult…she had to wonder how one for a troll like her weighed. And the black painted wood felt impossibly smooth in her hands.

“Now try to break it,” Aracae said.

“What?” Valeba looked up at her, eyes wide. “But it’s yours!” _And if I break it, I might get culled_ , she added silently.

Aracae smiled encouragingly. “Then show me a general highblood could use this weapon.”

Valeba nodded in understanding. That shouldn’t be too hard. It was probably sturdier than it looked, anyway. With a slow exhale, Valeba put her hands together and pushed on the wood, as if snapping branches to throw on a fire. It only took a little pressure for her to hear the bow groan and crack quietly underneath her.

A cold hand covered her right one, causing her to shiver. Valeba stopped, but it was too late. The bend she had created stuck in the wood, its splinters just large enough she could see them stick out. “I think that’s enough. I think you see my point.”

Valeba shook her head. “You just showed me they can break easy. That’s all.”

“Well, not all of them. This one, made exactly like any other wooden highblood bow, yes. They’re frequently made for more form than function.” She ran a hand over the bend. “ And if a weak lowblood as you claim you are can crack it…”

“Then a highblood can break it,” Valeba finished. Her eyes raked the bow again. Now that Aracae mentioned it, nothing about it looked particularly sturdy. Not the way she read an indigoblood had to reinforce much of their hives if they weren’t careful, or the solid wooden clubs that bashed her during the attack. This was thin. This was skinny. This was _breakable_.

Aracae grinned. “Now you’ve got the idea.” She plucked the thin string connecting the ends, letting it vibrate. “I’ve watched highblood after highblood, confident in their prowess, break their poor weapon without even paying attention. You don’t need much strength to pull it back and cull someone.”

“But it helps,” Valeba pointed out. “You could pierce the skin better!”

“Would it though?” Aracae laughed and took the bow back. Her finger gently stroked over the place where Valeba cracked it. “I’ve found in my age it doesn’t take much strength to pierce someone’s vision straight to their thinkpan.”

“But you could put more force behind it!”

“Only if you hit your target.” She cocked her head and gave Valeba a puzzled expression. “Unless you know something I don’t?”

Valeba crossed her arms again and pursed her lips. Another possible trick. Aracae was just goading her into saying something stupid, and she wasn’t going to do it. Maybe Valeba wasn’t clever, but she was certainly more clever than that.

“It’s fine to be wrong, you know,” Aracae said gently. “You’re young.”

“I’m five sweeps old,” Valeba said. “Only two more until seventh.”

“That’s pretty young!” Aracae smiled and strode away from Valeba, back over to the tree she originally set her bow down. “I doubt you know everything at five sweeps. But that’s okay. That’s what I’m here for.”

Valeba raised her eyebrows. “To tell me how to fight.”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’m here to teach you.”

“Oh.” Valeba dropped her gaze down to the ground, only brought up by Aracae coming back over to tilt her chin up.

“We’ll start tomorrow. I’ll have to get a better bow for you.” Her free hand moved onto Valeba’s shoulder. Despite the chill, it was comforting. Valeba felt herself relax, unaware she had even tensed up so much. “Okay?”

Valeba nodded. Maybe…maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. “Okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Be sure to leave kudos/comment if you enjoyed it! Also if you want to listen to me ramble about absolutely nothing, you can find me on [Tumblr](chuckling-chemist.tumblr.com) or [Twitter!](https://twitter.com/stormscourge)


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